I'm Not a Cynic

Scully had said to steer clear from places they'd denned in, but Clouse had found himself missing the bay. Given that he hadn't been snatched up and whisked back off to the Dell by this point, the youth was gaining confidence that they were staying hidden enough and that one single excursion backwards couldn't be all that risky.

He was about to learn otherwise.

Silver eyes weren't watching the water but rather tracking his own paws as they passed through the sand. What he'd missed were the sounds of the waves and the migrating birds. They echoed in his ears and helped him block out everything else, brooding thoughts and the guilt over what his dad had said about his mom being 'worried to death.' His intentions hadn't been to hurt anyone, Clouse had genuinely thought he wouldn't be missed much.

He was not at all aware that every zoned-out moment was bringing him closer and closer to his water-logged big sister.